Kawhi Leonard may be priming himself for a return to The Lone Star State.
The Houston Rockets could potentially be in the mix to trade for the L.A. Clippers star forward Leonard, Michael Grange of Sportsnet reported on Saturday. The indication is that the Rockets have entered the fray, as Leonard would be interested in possibly signing a contract extension with them.
Leonard, who turns 35 on Monday, is coming off the strongest statistical season of his NBA career. He averaged a career-high 27.9 points to go along with 6.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game for the Clippers and earned an All-Star selection for just the second time since 2021.
But Leonard is now entering his final guaranteed year under contract in 2026-27 at $50.3 million. If he cannot agree to an extension with the Clippers this summer, the prevailing thought is that the team will likely be trading Leonard away to avoid the possibility of losing him for nothing in 2027.
We heard a report earlier this week that Leonard was actually interested in reuniting with one of his old NBA teams. Now, Leonard’s list may be expanding to include another notable team in the Rockets.
Houston went a stellar 52-30 last season but lost in the first round to the Los Angeles Lakers. With Kevin Durant, 37, leading the charge and Leonard’s former Toronto Raptors teammate Fred VanVleet, 32, set to return next season from a torn ACL, the Rockets have emerged as a viable potential trade destination for the former Finals MVP Leonard.